The Birthday Saga Part IX ~The Critics Review

I knew Clay wasn’t feeling 100%, but he’s not much of a complainer when he doesn’t feel well. I can usually tell that he doesn’t feel good by his face, which is why I had asked him earlier in the day how he was feeling. Now as we sat around the dinner table I saw him quietly fading. Just as I was going to ask him if he was okay he announced, “I’m just going to get a little fresh air.” I knew by that statement that he was either going to go puke his guts out or he really was going to go outside and try to get some air to clear his head and or stomach.

Several times that evening Melanie tried to take a good photo of Clay and Bryan. This was the expression Clay gave Melanie when she asked him to smile. Let’s get a closer look at that healthy glow he’s got going.

Oh, poor Clay. He was such a trooper all day. He’d been running around town, dropping off kids, picking up kids, dropping envelopes in the hands of people to deliver to me, cleaning out my van, cleaning the house (yes, he cleaned the house!!!), texting me sweet messages, making sure our children were fed and cared for during the evening, buying a new shirt, arranging my bags to be packed, and the whole time he had been running a fever and popping Ibuprofen.

We have had a very good time looking at this photo and recalling how close to death he appeared and laughing about it.

He thought that a nice meal would make him feel better. But, lo…he was mistaken. He got about five bites into his glorious steak and knew if he didn’t evacuate the premises that he would be sharing those five bites with all of us and it wasn’t going to be pretty.

He actually did go outside the restaurant and attempted to get his nausea in check. It was a windy spring evening and the temperature was hovering in the lower 70’s. That was just brisk enough for him to start shivering uncontrollably. He gracefully made his way back through the restaurant, handed me his debit card to pay for dinner and said, “I’m not feeling so good. You guys take your time, I’m just going to go relax in the van for a bit.”

The three of us looked at each other and then Bryan solemnly said, “I think we have a bad affect on you two.” Last year when they came to visit we ate at a seafood restaurant and I spent the rest of the night revisiting my meal in the bathroom. I’ve never experienced anything quite like that little bout of food poisoning. During that same visit, Bryan, Melanie and I were all chatting away in the living room when Clay got up and quietly went upstairs. We all thought he had gone to the bathroom, but instead he went to bed. Bryan has never let him forget about it, he desperately wants to do the same thing to Clay, but he’s usually the one talking and he loves to be involved in the conversation, so it will never happen for Bryan. Clay just figured he wouldn’t interrupt our chattering and decided it was his bedtime.

Clay made his way to our van which was parked at least a 5 minuted walk away from the restaurant.

Back in the restaurant I said, “Well, sorry guys but we should probably get back home so Clay can get some rest.” Bryan looked at me and said, “I think you have another surprise.”

Naomi, it’s just too much to write in one sitting. If all I had to focus on was this here blog then I might be able to do it, but it just can’t be. So, you all have to suffer patience with me or quit reading. Either way I’ve been sitting on this story since April and I promised a lot of people I would write about it. I’ll get it all out and then it’ll be done. And then maybe I’ll start another saga just to irritate you. Ha!

I am loving this! I can’t wait to see the rest of what your awesome husband did for his awesome wife! And PLEASE don’t worry about the complainy complainers…They obviously don’t understand that there is life outside of bloggyville. I started a blog a few years ago, and never even shared a single post. I admire your story telling skillz, and I think you are inspirational, even though a part of me wants you to hurry up and give us the rest of the story! 🙂

It’s a good thing I love your blog, or else!!!…Just kidding, keep writing, the story is so good I really don’t want it to end. I am trying to think if what else Clay might have in store for you. A new pot rack, a new car??? What is it???..tell me, tell me! 🙂

April, take your sweet time – this is a great story and it’s rare I find something this much fun to anticipate. Your story is so sweet, tell it how you want and HA to anyone who tries to tell you different. I’ll be here till the end and beyond.

LOVING your birthday story! I can’t believe Clay was able to handle all the details of your surprise. There is no way my husband could do it. But, he did give me one of his kidneys three years ago, so he is covered for every gift-giving occasion for the rest of his life. (He will also probably win every argument, and be able to control the remote forever). 🙂